Hands-on learning, Burdekin campus
To support the Agricultural College’s industry-relevant training programs, the Burdekin campus runs a number of commercial operations for students to gain practical, hands-on experience.
Sugar cane production
Small crops production
Claredale Horse Stud
Beef cattle production
Meat processing operations
Sugar cane production
The campus is one of the Burdekin's premium cane growers. Study topics include plant establishment and plant health, flood irrigation techniques and sustainable water use including the use of recycled water, harvesting and crop rotation, as well as maintenance and operation of machinery used in the industry (haulouts, cane harvester and general machinery such as tractors and spray rigs).
Small crops production
The small crops section harvests corn, sorghum, maize, lucerne and fodder crops such as Rhodes Grass and irrigated Leucaena (for use in the campus cattle and horse sections) as well as hay for sale to local producers. A small block is used by students for the development of food crops such as tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, beans and herbs.
Claredale Horse Stud
The Claredale registered Australian stock horse and quarter horse stud has gained a solid reputation for producing reliable, gentle and athletic horses. Claredale also provides stallions for stud services. Courses cover areas such as riding skills, horse health, hoof care, stable and equipment maintenance, care of mares and foals, stallion management and breeding programs.
Beef cattle production
Beckers is the campus' 4500-hectare commercial breeder property located 20 kilometres from the main campus at Clare. The property carries the 650 head breeder herd of Droughtmaster and Brahman cattle. Senepol and Charbray bloodlines are currently being introduced to further improve the composite herd. Weaners are returned to the main campus which has over 2000 hectares of general fattening country used to grow out and put weight on turnoff stock.
Meat processing operations
Students learn butchery skills at the campus’ QSafe Slaughterhouse. Training includes how to break down the carcass for meat, how to identify and prepare the various cuts, the safe handling and storage of meat products, and the practices involved in maintaining Qsafe registration with its strict hygiene testing procedures and all relevant paperwork and record keeping.
This page was last updated 24 March 2006
